Friday 13/March/2026 – 07:24 AM
South Sinai will remain a symbol of religious and archaeological history, and still ranks first among Egypt’s governorates in archaeological, environmental, and religious history.
Among the historical places that bear witness to this history is the Soldier’s Castle, which is an important historical castle located in southern Sinai near the city of Ras Sidr, and is considered one of the most prominent Islamic castles in the Sinai Peninsula.
History of the castle
It was built by Sultan Saladin Al-Ayyubi in the late twelfth century AD, approximately between 1183 and 1187 AD, in the Ayyubid era. The purpose of establishing the castle was to protect the pilgrimage route coming from Egypt and North Africa to Mecca, monitor the roads in Sinai, and prevent attacks by the Crusaders.
Located on top of the high hill of Ras al-Jindi, Al-Jindi Castle rises approximately 655 meters above sea level, giving it a strong defensive position overlooking the surrounding desert.
Castle components
Inside the castle there was a strong defensive wall, watchtowers, a small mosque for soldiers, a water storage tank, rooms for the military garrison, and service facilities such as ovens and living facilities.
Al-Jundi Castle is considered an important example of Islamic military architecture in the Ayyubid era, and it served as a small military city to serve soldiers and pilgrims passing through the region.
The castle still stands as archaeological ruins, and is considered one of the most important historical sites in Sinai, overlooking a wide and distinctive desert landscape.
